In order to combat the climate changes and to reach the European goals for reduction of greenhouse emissions, fossil fuels must be replaced with renewables. MegaSyn will contribute by upscaling high-temperature co-electrolysis to mega-watt scale to produce green syngas (CO + H2) out of renewable electricity, waste CO2 and H2O. This process is called Power-to-X; it is the most important approach to decarbonise hard-to-electrify sectors such as the iron and steel industry, the chemical industry as well as heavy and long-distance transport, as syngas can be used as precursor for the manufacture of e-fuels and other chemicals. By using the co-electrolyser technology, the highest overall process efficiencies can be achieved. MegaSyn will demonstrate that syngas can be produced via the solid oxide electrolyser cell technology (SOEC) in quantities relevant for industrial applications, while showing the way to competitive electrolyser costs and durability. It will be the world’s first demonstration of syngas production by co-electrolysis on the mega-watt scale in an industrial environment at the Schwechat Refinery in Austria. The project will lift the technology from TRL 5 to TRL 7, thus taking an important step towards commercialisation. The consortium is carefully selected to cover all the necessary competences: DTU and TU Graz, respectively, will improve knowledge on degradation of cells and stacks and purification needs of feed streams, while Sunfire will design & build the co-electrolyser; OMV will install it at their Schwechat Refinery and Paul Wurth will perform the engineering of overall system integration. After installation, the MegaSyn system will run for 2 years to demonstrate the production of >900 kg syngas based on renewable energy. Integrating the co-electrolyser based MegaSyn system at a refinery proves its value not only for the production of e-crude but also as a mega-watt scale system that can be integrated in e.g. the chemical industry.

In RoRePower project is to develop and demonstrate solid oxide fuel cell systems for off-grid power generation in certain markets. These markets are such as powering the gas and oil infrastructure in remote regions with harsh climate conditions (from -40 to +50°C) and the continuous power supplies of telecommunication towers especially in emerging countries (e.g. telecom base stations or microwave transceivers). ReRoPower project combines leading European SOFC technology companies and research centres to collaborate and form required phases in the SOFC value chain. This collaboration is focused on the development, manufacturing, and validation of a robust SOFC system and its key components for operation under harsh environmental conditions. The project is driven by industry operating in the field of SOCF systems, it is based on the products and services of industrial partners and motivated by their interest to further develop and commercialize their products and services and consolidate an efficient value chain by collaboration. Industrial partners are focusing on different phases in the value chain and are not competing against each other. Participating research centres support industrial partners to optimize their products towards a joint target, which is a commercially successful SOFC based system and related value chain. The fuel cell manufactures Sunfire, Solidpower and New Enerday, all 100 % Europe-based, will develop and demonstrate robust remote power supply for harsh environments. For the first time, the three manufactures will have a joint development of balance of plant (BOP) components. The common target is to build up respectively to strengthen the European value chain for the remote power specific components and services. Within the proposed project, 15 - 30 remote fuel cell systems will be installed in different countries at the sites of more than five different end-users.

The ComSos project aims at strengthening the European SOFC industry’s world-leading position for SOFC products in the range of 10-60 kW totally 450 kWe. Through this project, manufacturers prepare for developing capacity for serial manufacturing, sales and marketing of mid FC CHP products. All manufacturers will validate new product segments in collaboration with the respective customers and confirm product performance, the business case and size, and test in real life the distribution channel including maintenance and service. In function of the specific segments, the system will be suitable for volumes from few 10’s to several 1,000 systems per year. The key objective of the ComSos project is to validate and demonstrate fuel cell based combined heat and power solutions in the mid-sized power ranges of 10-12 kW, 20-25 kW, and 50-60 kW (referred to as Mini FC-CHP). The outcome gives proof of the superior advantages of such systems, underlying business models, and key benefits for the customer. The technology and product concepts, in the aforementioned power range, has been developed in Europe under supporting European frameworks such as the FCH-JU. The core of the consortium consists of three SOFC system manufacturers aligned with individual strategies along the value chain: Convion (two units of 60kWe each), SOLIDpower (15 units of 12kWe each) and Sunfire (6-8 units of 25kWe each). End-users and distributors have also expressed strong interest in the products, and will be actively involved in the ComSos project by participation in the Advisory Board.

The European Commission and its roadmap for moving towards a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050 sets greenhouse gas emissions targets for different economic sectors . One of the main challenges of transforming Europe´s economy will be the integration of highly volatile renewable energy sources (RES). Especially hydrogen produced from RES will have a major part in decarbonizing the industry, transport and energy sector – as feedstock, fuel and/or energy storage. However, access to renewable electricity will also be a limiting factor in the future and energy efficient technologies the key. Due to a significant energy input in form of steam preferably from industrial waste heat, Steam Electrolysis (StE) based on Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOEC) achieves outstanding electrical efficiencies of up to 84 %el,LHV. Thus, StE is a very promising technology to produce hydrogen most energy efficiently. GrInHy2.0 will demonstrate how steam electrolysis in an industrial relevant size can: • Be integrated into the industrial environment at an integrated iron-and-steel works with a StE unit of 720 kWAC and electrical efficiency of up to 84 %el, LHV • Operate at least 13,000 hours with a proved availability of >95 % • Provide a significant amount of hydrogen (18 kg/h) while meeting the high-quality standards for steel annealing processes • Produce at least 100 tons of green hydrogen at a targeted price of 7 €/kg to substitute hydrogen based on fossil fuels • Support the most promising Carbon Direct Avoidance (CDA) approach by substituting the reducing agent carbon by green hydrogen to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the steel production In context with the production of green hydrogen from a steam electrolyser, the steel industry combines both hydrogen and oxygen demand – today and future – and the availability of cost-efficient waste heat from its high-temperature production processes.